Rama Ayash | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Rama Ayash | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Damascus University | Syria

Dr. Rama Ayash is a medical advisor, senior lecturer, and scientific researcher specializing in clinical biochemistry, diabetes research, and molecular mechanisms of β-cell apoptosis. Her primary research focuses on the pathophysiological role of cytokines and death receptors in glucose dysregulation and prediabetes, with particular emphasis on the therapeutic effects of DPP4 inhibitors such as sitagliptin. Her recent publications include groundbreaking studies in Scientific Reports, BMC Endocrine Disorders, and the European Journal of Pharmacology, exploring inflammatory cytokine modulation, apoptotic biomarkers (FAS, TNFR1, TRAIL-R2), and their relationship to β-cell dysfunction. Dr. Rama Ayash’s research contributions advance understanding of early diabetic mechanisms, aiding in the development of targeted therapeutic strategies to preserve pancreatic function. She has also supervised diverse clinical and molecular research projects in cardiovascular pharmacology, endocrine biomarkers, and celiac disease diagnostics, demonstrating her interdisciplinary expertise. Her work integrates clinical biochemistry, molecular diagnostics, and translational medicine, contributing to the growing field of preventive and precision diabetology. Dr. Rama Ayash has been an active conference speaker and scientific presenter, sharing insights on cardio-renal pharmacology, metabolic pathways, and biomarker discovery. Her continuing research endeavors aim to bridge laboratory findings with clinical outcomes to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy in metabolic diseases.

Profiles: Google Scholar | ORCID

Featured Publications

• Ayash, R., Kabalan, Y., & Chamaa, S. (2025). Exploring the predictive potentials of IL-1β and TNFR1 in atherogenic risk in prediabetes. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 37369. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-37369

• Ayash, R., Kabalan, Y., & Chamaa, S. (2025). Association of soluble apoptotic biomarkers (FAS, TNFR1 and TRAIL-R2) with β-cell dysfunction in early glucose dysregulation. BMC Endocrine Disorders, 25(1), 218. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-025-0218

• Ayash, R., Kabalan, Y., & Chamaa, S. (2025). Sitagliptin reduces cytokine-induced β-cell apoptosis in prediabetes: A six-month interventional study. European Journal of Pharmacology, 177708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2025.177708

Carlos Alberto Pastore | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Carlos Alberto Pastore | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Heart Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas of FMUSP | Brazil

Prof. Carlos Alberto Pastore is a distinguished cardiologist and researcher from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, internationally recognized for his pioneering work in electrocardiology and vectorcardiography. As a Professor and Medical Collaborator at the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), he has significantly advanced diagnostic methods for cardiac electrical diseases, cardiac mapping, and non-invasive electrocardiographic techniques. His research specializes in surface electrocardiographic mapping, high-resolution ECG, microalternans of the T wave (mTWA), and vectorcardiographic analysis of ventricular activation and repolarization abnormalities. Prof. Carlos Alberto Pastore has played a vital role in refining diagnostic criteria for arrhythmogenic disorders, ventricular hypertrophy, and cardiac resynchronization therapy, and he has applied artificial neural networks and machine learning in ECG-based cardiopathy detection in collaboration with the Federal University of Technology of Paraná (UTFPR). At InCor – Heart Institute (Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP), he has held major roles including Director of the Clinical Unit of Resting Electrocardiography, Medical Director of Telemedicine, and Vice-President of the Zerbini Foundation, contributing to translational cardiology and digital health innovation. He also served as President (2013–2015) of the International Society of Electrocardiology (ISE) and is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC). According to Scopus (Author ID: 7006635654), Prof. Carlos Alberto Pastore has authored 53 scientific publications, received 1,014 citations from 948 documents, and holds an h-index of 12. His research has appeared in leading journals including the Journal of Electrocardiology, Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, and JACC, making him one of Brazil’s leading authorities in clinical electrocardiology and cardiovascular diagnostics.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

• de Luna, A. B., Brugada, J., Baranchuk, A., Borggrefe, M., Breithardt, G., & Pastore, C. A. (2012). Current electrocardiographic criteria for diagnosis of Brugada pattern: A consensus report. Journal of Electrocardiology, 45(5), 433–442.* https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2012.06.004

• de Luna, A. B., Platonov, P., Cosio, F. G., Cygankiewicz, I., Pastore, C., Baranowski, R., … & Spodick, D. (2012). Interatrial blocks: A separate entity from left atrial enlargement: A consensus report. Journal of Electrocardiology, 45(5), 445–451.* https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2012.06.008

• Pastore, C. A., Pinho, J. A., Pinho, C., Samesima, N., Pereira Filho, H. G., & Mansur, A. P., et al. (2016). III Diretrizes da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia sobre análise e emissão de laudos eletrocardiográficos. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, 106(4 Suppl 1), 1–23.* https://doi.org/10.5935/abc.20160054

• Santos, I. S., Goulart, A. C., Brandão, R. M., Santos, R. C. O., Bittencourt, M. S., Sitnik, D., … & Pastore, C. A. (2015). One-year mortality after an acute coronary event and its clinical predictors: The ERICO study. Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, 105(1), 53–64.* https://doi.org/10.5935/abc.20150049

• Digby, G. C., Kukla, P., Zhan, Z. Q., Pastore, C. A., Piotrowicz, R., Schapachnik, E., … & Baranchuk, A. (2015). The value of electrocardiographic abnormalities in the prognosis of pulmonary embolism: A consensus paper. Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology, 20(3), 207–223.* https://doi.org/10.1111/anec.12235

Zengxin Gao | Medicine and Health Sciences | Innovative Research Award

Dr. Zengxin Gao | Medicine and Health Sciences | Innovative Research Award

Department of Orthopedics, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University School of Medicine | China

Dr. Zengxin Gao is a highly accomplished Chief Physician at Southeast University, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital, recognized for his expertise in orthopedics and minimally invasive spinal interventions. He completed his PhD in Orthopedics at Peking Union Medical College in 2008, following a Master’s degree in Orthopedics (2005) and a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Medicine from Nanjing Medical University (1990). Dr. Zengxin Gao’s clinical career spans over 30 years, beginning as a physician at Nantong University Affiliated Dongtai Hospital, advancing to attending and associate chief physician, and currently serving as Chief Physician at Southeast University Affiliated Zhongda Hospital since 2015. His research focuses on spinal surgery, intervertebral disc regeneration, and innovative minimally invasive techniques for chronic low back and leg pain, particularly in elderly patients. He has led notable projects, including the Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission’s New Technology Introduction Project on percutaneous single-axis hole microscopy (2021–2023). Dr. Zengxin Gao has made significant scholarly contributions, including sole corresponding authorship in Wenbin Xuan, Yucheng Gao, Zengxin Gao. Intraspinal Bone Fragments Resorption in Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture. JAMA Neurol. 2023;80(11):1248–1249 [Cited 12]; co-first authorship in Linhui Ye, Zengxin Gao, Saeed Rohani. Intervertebral disk regeneration in a rat model by allopurinol-loaded Chitosan/alginate hydrogel. Biomol Biomed. 2023;23(4):661–670 [Cited 5]; and co-corresponding authorship in Shuhua Fang et al. Circ_0027885 sponges miR-203-3p to regulate RUNX2 expression and alleviates osteoporosis progression. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024;25:5 [Cited 3]. He has been awarded the Provincial and Ministerial First Prize for the Medical New Technology Introduction Award (2022) for pioneering percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic intervertebral fusion. Dr. Zengxin Gao’s combination of clinical expertise, innovative research, and leadership in orthopedics underscores his outstanding contributions and makes him an ideal candidate for the Innovative Research Award.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

• Xuan, W., Gao, Y., & Gao, Z. (2023). Intraspinal bone fragments resorption in thoracolumbar burst fracture. JAMA Neurology, 80(11), 1248–1249.
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.2901

• Ye, L., Gao, Z., & Rohani, S. (2023). Intervertebral disk regeneration in a rat model by allopurinol-loaded chitosan/alginate hydrogel. Biomolecules and Biomedicine, 23(4), 661–670.
https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2023.8535

• Fang, S., Cao, D., Wu, Z., Chen, J., Huang, Y., Shen, Y., & Gao, Z. (2024). Circ_0027885 sponges miR-203-3p to regulate RUNX2 expression and alleviates osteoporosis progression. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 25(1), 5.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-07172-0

• Gao, Z., Lin, Y., Wu, Z., Zhang, P., Cheng, Q., Ye, L., Wu, F., Chen, Y., Fu, M., Cheng, C., & Gao, Y. (2020). LncRNA SNHG6 can regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of rat degenerate nucleus pulposus cells via regulating the expression of miR-101-3p. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 24(16), 8251–8262.
https://doi.org/10.26355/eurrev_202008_22592

• Gao, Z., Lin, Y., Zhang, P., Cheng, Q., Ye, L., Wu, F., Chen, Y., Fu, M., Cheng, C., & Gao, Y. (2019). Sinomenine ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration via inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy in vitro and in vivo. American Journal of Translational Research, 11(9), 5956–5966.
https://www.ajtr.org/files/ajtr0094769.pdf